Improved call-bell



' UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

NATHANIEL L. BRADLY, OF VESI MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR. T() HIMSELF, WALTER HUBBARD, AND WM. Il. BRADLY'.

IMPROVED CALL-BELL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,697. dated August 25, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, NATHANIEL L. BRAD- LY, of West Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Call-Bells; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip- 4 tion of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a side elevation of one of my improved call-bells, and Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the same at right angles to the side elevation.

Call-bells, as generally made, consist of a bell supported by a stand and combined with a spring-hammer, to which motion is imparted by a piston extending upward through the center of the bell and terminating in a button, to which the finger can be applied. In such call-bells the construction of the spring-hammer and its appurtenances has been such that the striking-hammer is suspended at one side of the aXis of the bell, and as this position of the hammer Vrenders the instrument unsymmetric, and as the striking mechanism inobjectionable to the eye, it has been customary to inclose and conceal `the striking mechanism by a cup placed beneath the bell, thereby obstructing the free .vibration of air and diminishing the intensity of the tone.

The object of my invention is to simplify the construction ot these instruments, i11- crease the intensity of their tone, and improve their appearance.

'Io this end the iirst part of my invention consists in combining the bell with a clapper suspended in an ornamented stand, (without a cup beneath the bell,) and with a pist0n extending upward through the bell, so that the clapper can be rendered an ornamental appendage to the instrument, that the use of a cup to conceal the striking mechanism can be dispensed with, and, consequently, that the vibrations of the air in the interior of the bell can be propagated freely to that without, the whole bottom of the bell being open.

The second `part of my invention consists in combining the piston ofthe striking mechanism with the clapper or striking-instrument and the guide, through which the piston works, in such manner that the upper end of said guide forms the stop which limits the movement of the piston by the hand and prevents the striking-instrument from being held by the pressure of the hand in contact with the bell after striking, whereby chattering would beproduced orthe vibration would be stopped. The third part of my invention consists in combining a heavy clapper freely suspended in the center of the bell with the piston, so that the use of a spring is dispensed with.

The call-bell represented in the accompanying `drawings embodies all parts of my invention. In it the bell A is suspended upon an ornamental stand, B, in which the clapper C is suspended. The clapperis made in the form of a bud, and, as it is suspended in the center of the bell and stand, the instrument is symmetrical and orn amental, an d thereis no necessity for using a cup to conceal the mechanism within the bell. lThe clapper-hub e is fitted with an arm, g, in the form ot' an eye, with which the eyeformed lower extremity of the piston h is connected. The piston extends upward through the guide J at the top of the bell, and is fitted at its upper end with a button,K,to which the inger is applied when the bell is to be struck. The distance from the under side, fi, of the button to the upper end, l, of the guide is such that when the button is brought into contact with the guide by the depression of the piston, the clapper (which is the strikinginstrument) does not quite touch the bell. The guide thus forms a stop to stop the movement of the piston a little before the clapper touches the bell,`and the completion of the movement of the clapper is effected by its momentum, the play in the eye of the piston permitting such movement. As, however, the stop prevents the clapper from being held in contact with the bell, the clapper recoils after striking and leaves the bell free to vibrate.

The guide thus forms the stop without the necessity of making some other arrangement for the purposel Having thus described a call-bell embodying my i1nprovements,what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. The combination of 'the bell with a clapper suspended in an ornamental stand, (without a cup beneath the bell,) and with a piston extending upward through the bell, the said pended in the center of the bell with the piston extending upward through the bell, the combination being and operatin g substantial] y as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 20th day of April, 1863.

NATHANIEL L. BRADLY.

Witnesses:

LEVI E. 00E, GEO. W. SMITH. 

